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IN OUR OPINION

Editorial: HMA questions

Published: Friday, July 12, 2013 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, July 11, 2013 at 8:17 p.m.

There is little doubt hospital trustees will have plenty of questions on Monday when they meet to discuss the proposed lease of Munroe Regional Medical Center to Hospital Management Associates Inc., the Naples-based company that will take over operation of Munroe in the near future.

A representative of HMA is scheduled to be present, and it would behoove the trustees to ask that person — and we hope it is HMA Senior Vice President Alan Levine, the company's point man — for some reassurance that all the controversy swirling around the nation's fourth-largest hospital operator will not adversely affect Munroe's future, particularly its quality service delivery.

While HMA has dismissed inquiries by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Justice Department as routine, and it has assured the public that it has done nothing illegal, it is still unsettling for our community as trustees go through the due diligence process of transferring control of the perennial award-winning Munroe to private, out-of-town control. Munroe is one of our community jewels, a treasured public asset, and like a child being left in the care of a stranger, we are protective and need to know our hospital will be well cared for.

Now comes word that HMA may be the target of a buyout or takeover. The experts say this is to be expected anytime a successful outfit like HMA is under fire and it should not affect the deal Munroe trustees negotiate, a deal that will provide them with $200 million for Ocala/Marion County's health care future.

Of course, there was little doubt that the health care culture of our community would change with the change of Munroe's management. Forever, Munroe has been run and overseen by members of our community. It has been a proud community asset that was able to provide services and programs that shareholder-driven organizations could not and would not.

HMA has said it will continue to make quality of care a priority and we will take their word for it — and count on the Marion County Hospital District trustees to negotiate a lease deal that assures that as much as possible. But clearly the health care landscape is already changing with the disappearance of a publicly owned community hospital.

The trustees, as noted in recent articles about the lease and the due diligence that is ongoing, have little wiggle room in terms of what Munroe's future will be.

It will be privately run and will no longer be what it has historically been.

Monday will be the next opportunity for trustees to ask questions about HMA's ongoing controversies and what effect, if any, they could have on our community health care. We are confident the trustees are committed to getting the best deal possible — and $200 million in cash is a good start — but what the future holds for Munroe and, in turn, our community health care is also critical. We look forward to hearing the trustees' questions and HMA's answers.

<p>There is little doubt hospital trustees will have plenty of questions on Monday when they meet to discuss the proposed lease of Munroe Regional Medical Center to Hospital Management Associates Inc., the Naples-based company that will take over operation of Munroe in the near future.</p><p>A representative of HMA is scheduled to be present, and it would behoove the trustees to ask that person — and we hope it is HMA Senior Vice President Alan Levine, the company's point man — for some reassurance that all the controversy swirling around the nation's fourth-largest hospital operator will not adversely affect Munroe's future, particularly its quality service delivery.</p><p>While HMA has dismissed inquiries by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Justice Department as routine, and it has assured the public that it has done nothing illegal, it is still unsettling for our community as trustees go through the due diligence process of transferring control of the perennial award-winning Munroe to private, out-of-town control. Munroe is one of our community jewels, a treasured public asset, and like a child being left in the care of a stranger, we are protective and need to know our hospital will be well cared for.</p><p>Now comes word that HMA may be the target of a buyout or takeover. The experts say this is to be expected anytime a successful outfit like HMA is under fire and it should not affect the deal Munroe trustees negotiate, a deal that will provide them with $200 million for Ocala/Marion County's health care future.</p><p>Of course, there was little doubt that the health care culture of our community would change with the change of Munroe's management. Forever, Munroe has been run and overseen by members of our community. It has been a proud community asset that was able to provide services and programs that shareholder-driven organizations could not and would not.</p><p>HMA has said it will continue to make quality of care a priority and we will take their word for it — and count on the Marion County Hospital District trustees to negotiate a lease deal that assures that as much as possible. But clearly the health care landscape is already changing with the disappearance of a publicly owned community hospital.</p><p>The trustees, as noted in recent articles about the lease and the due diligence that is ongoing, have little wiggle room in terms of what Munroe's future will be. </p><p>It will be privately run and will no longer be what it has historically been.</p><p>Monday will be the next opportunity for trustees to ask questions about HMA's ongoing controversies and what effect, if any, they could have on our community health care. We are confident the trustees are committed to getting the best deal possible — and $200 million in cash is a good start — but what the future holds for Munroe and, in turn, our community health care is also critical. We look forward to hearing the trustees' questions and HMA's answers.</p>